1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to browser cookies. More particularly, embodiments relate to the enhanced management of browser cookies.
2. Discussion
The use of browser cookies to facilitate advertising, web page functionality and statistical analysis has continued to grow on the part of web site operators and developers. End users, on the other hand, may have privacy concerns with regard to the setting of cookies on their machines. These concerns are often balanced, however, against the ability to have a fully functional web browsing experience, which can often require the setting and usage of cookies. Accordingly, depending on the browser and platform configuration, the user might have the option of automatically or manually deciding whether to allow or deny the setting of cookies.
Although conventional cookie handling techniques may be acceptable in certain circumstances, there still remains considerable room for improvement. For example, the automated process of handling cookies may not give the user a sufficient level granularity as to the type of cookies to allow or deny. In addition, the manual process is typically done on a per-cookie basis, which can make it difficult for the user to gain a relative perspective of which cookies to allow or deny. Accordingly, it might not be uncommon for a user to allow a cookie that should have been denied or deny a cookie that should have been allowed. While some browsers might permit the user to view and/or change the cookie handling decisions that have been made offline via cookie hosts lists, these lists may not enable the user to effectively identify the web pages associated with the cookies in question.